Rays of hope

By Shaun Inguanzo
A NOBLE Park family is determined to give abused and neglected children a merry Christmas by displaying one of the most elaborate arrays of Christmas lights in the state.
After 115 sets of lights, a dancing snowman and an inflatable and motorised carousel among other attractions, the Herbert family at 3 Smale Court has created a Yuletide wonderland that would make one believe they had landed in the North Pole.
The Herberts’ Christmas treat attracted 60 children and their families on Saturday night and just as many on Sunday night.
But the Christmas light display is not just for show – it also helps to raise funds for the Gordon Care for Children organisation, which houses children who have been removed from their families because of abuse or neglect.
Gail Herbert told Star that this was the fourth year the family had undertaken the fund-raising effort and she said the lights would be on every night for the month of December.
Ms Herbert urged Greater Dandenong residents to come and visit the display and make a small donation to the collection tin for Gordon Care for Children to ensure the kids could also have a merry Christmas.
In addition to the donations, the Herberts have this year set up a wishing tree decorated with cards bearing children’s wishes to Santa for presents.
Ms Herbert said people could take a wishing tree card, purchase the small gift, and then return it to Smale court where Gordon Care for Children would collect the gifts just prior to Christmas Day.
Ms Herbert’s husband, Brent, has taken on the task of dressing as Santa Claus on weekends to add to the already jolly atmosphere that the house and its lights bring at night.
The Herberts’ generosity spawned from Ms Herbert wanting to continue her late-mother’s donations to Gordon Care for Children.
The otherwise quiet Smale Court is illuminated and made obvious to traffic travelling along the Princes Highway.
And for those concerned about climate change, there’s nothing to fear according to the Herberts.
“They are all low voltage lights,” Ms Herbert said.
“The power bill is only about $60 or $70 extra during the quarter that includes our Christmas lights.”
She said her husband had begun hanging the lights as early as October, and the family had previously had the house rewired by electricians to cope with the 115 sets of Christmas lights.
The family has listed the display with radio station Gold 104’s registry of Christmas lights – not to win the competition – but rather to promote its cause.
To encourage people to come along to the festive fun, Ms Herbert said the family had prepared bags of Christmas goodies to give away to children who visited their home.
The Herberts’ Christmas light fund raiser is located at 3 Smale Court, Noble Park North, and will be switched on every night until Christmas Day.